EAGALA Military Services

There is a growing interest in equine therapy supporting the psychological health and family relationships of service members, veterans and their families worldwide.

EAGALA Military Services

EAGALA Military Services is a designation which indicates the EAGALA Model certified professionals have specialized training and experience in the military community. The designation requires an annual renewal in which providers must complete continuing education each year to remain abreast of current military lifestyle and issues.

EAGALA Military Services sets a high standard of excellence - respecting the cultural and professional competence needed to provide the best services possible for the military community.

“We have conducted a number of EAGALA EAP sessions with our veterans including a series of workshops focusing on coping resources, resilience and anger management. Across the board, veteran participants have told me that never have they found a group or individual session so useful and life-changing, and that they have found hope. After these workshops, many reflect frequently on the experience and skills learned then take them into their daily lives.” -Susan T. Lisi, AFGE Local 3306 Chief Steward, VA Medical Center in Canandaigua, New York.

Iraq War veteran: “Seeing how differently the horses reacted to each one of us has helped me get closer to my wife. It has brought our entire family closer than we have ever been.”

The psychological health needs of service members, their families and their survivors are daunting and growing. The evidence for this is substantial. Despite the suppressing effects of stigma, more than a third of active duty Soldiers and Marines self-report psychological health problems in the months following deployment, as do half of the members of the Reserve Component (DMSS, 2007). Rates of self-reported psychosocial and marital concerns are highest among service members exposed to the greatest degree of danger and who have repeatedly deployed. Further, the number of service members in these subgroups continues to grow (U. S. Army, 2006; Wheeler, 2007).

The time for action is now. The human and financial costs of un-addressed problems will rise dramatically over time. Our nation learned this lesson, at a tragic cost, in the years following the Vietnam War. Fully investing in prevention, early intervention, and effective treatment are responsibilities incumbent upon us as we endeavor to fulfill our obligation to our military service members.

- Report of the Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health, June 2007